Mavericks eye another streak

Posted: Saturday, November 30, 2002

DALLAS (AP) - Don Nelson would just as soon forget all the talk about NBA history.

"You're making way too much out of this. It's no big deal," the Dallas Mavericks coach said. "There have been lots of streaks longer than this. That it was at the start of the season is why it was getting a lot of attention."

Dallas won its first 14 games, the longest winning streak in franchise history, before a 110-98 loss Thursday night at Indiana. The 14-0 start was just short of the NBA's best start - 15-0 by the 1948-49 Washington Capitols and 1993-94 Houston Rockets.

"It's nice to have a lot of wins in the bank. They can't take those away from us," Nelson said.

Johnson said Pacers coach Isiah Thomas told him after the game that the Mavericks are good enough to start another streak.

The Mavericks get their chance tonight at home against Chicago, their third of four games in six days. That game is also expected to mark the return of guard Nick Van Exel and center Raef LaFrentz from the injured list.

Nelson gave his team a day off Friday.

"It was a good run for us," said Michael Finley, who had 16 points against the Pacers. "We came out of preseason wanting to establish ourselves early around the league, and I think we did that. Defensively, we wanted to let people know that we are better than last year. I think we did that."

Dallas knows its streak ended against a good team. Indiana has the best record in the Eastern Conference, 12-2 before Friday night's game against Washington.

The Pacers shot 53 percent against the Mavericks, and were led by Jermaine O'Neal with 28 points and 18 rebounds.

The Pacers play in Dallas on Dec. 17, the only other meeting between the two teams this season, unless they both make the NBA Finals.

The Mavericks have never advanced beyond the second round of the playoffs.

"There's a lot more basketball to play, a lot more games," Dirk Nowitzki said. "It doesn't mean anything if you have a 14-game win streak in November and are out in the first or second round of the playoffs."